Jason A Mullinax

Jason Mullinax is a percussionist and electronic music composer with more than 25 years of drumming and performance experience. He has performed widely in the D.C. metro area, written soundtracks for documentaries and films, and produced/recorded original material on his own record label. He is currently the drum instructor at the Richardson School of Music and facilitates music workshops at various locations around the region. His newest record, Time Being, is available on his Bandcamp page.

Praise for Home World:

...an otherworldly collection of hyperactive noise fun, featuring soundscapes of spacey synth floating over lively beats. The songs are energetic, intricately woven and precise, conveying an odd personality of playfulness and perfectionism. Home World is most definitely percussion driven, with self-described 'cut-n-paste aesthetics' breaking up sounds to keep things interesting at all times.
—Wanda Perkins, GLORY IN SOUND

This is electronica with bite and motion. From the brisk pace and crisp sounds in ’Staring Daggers’ to the mysteries of ‘Hello Human!’, Jason Mullinax has created an array of well thought out songs that have plenty of surprises in addition to great melodies.
—David Hintz, DC ROCK LIVE

So Home World can be edgy, it can be frenetic, it makes the occasional hard shift of tone (give “Soft Landing” a listen), but there’s a lot of great structural work at play here

...an otherworldly collection of hyperactive noise fun, featuring soundscapes of spacey synth floating over lively beats. The songs are energetic, intricately woven and precise, conveying an odd personality of playfulness and perfectionism. Home World is most definitely percussion driven, with self-described 'cut-n-paste aesthetics' breaking up sounds to keep things interesting at all times.
—Wanda Perkins, GLORY IN SOUND

This is electronica with bite and motion. From the brisk pace and crisp sounds in ’Staring Daggers’ to the mysteries of ‘Hello Human!’, Jason Mullinax has created an array of well thought out songs that have plenty of surprises in addition to great melodies.
—David Hintz, DC ROCK LIVE

So Home World can be edgy, it can be frenetic, it makes the occasional hard shift of tone (give “Soft Landing” a listen), but there’s a lot of great structural work at play here. Even at its most tangled, it never sounds or feels gratuitously so. On top of that, it’s just fun. (As I write that, I am swaying to the tribal-ish drums of “Space Amish” with its dum doh doh doh vocals.) What the heck—I think I’ll go listen one more time.
—John Shanahan, HYPNAGOGUE

Home World is undeniably appealing – a delightful collection of low-tech DIY electronica and virtuosic live percussion that’s just brimming with charm, verve and originality.
—Matt Evans, ONIONS FOR EYEBALLS

Praise for Music Discovery Lab Workshops:

Jason is a fantastic music and sound facilitator. He brings tremendous energy, knowledge and skill to his programming and in a very hands-on way. He encourages participants to look at the material world around them and find new appreciation for the sounds created by everyday objects. He does this through activities that are deeply engaging for both younger and older audiences alike. Jason has endless talent and is chock-full of creative ways to help young people explore their world.
—Claire Cocciole, Director of Programming at KID Museum, Bethesda, MD

Jason's Music Discovery Lab workshop at the Petworth Community Market with Knowledge Commons DC was truly a 'hit'! He can make percussion instruments out of anything—for example: parts of a picnic table, a vase, a door jam, or an old stove vent. He taught us how to be curious about sounds, to listen carefully, and not to be afraid to experiment with ordinary household objects. I was particularly impressed by the simple ringing sound he showed me how to make from the top of a pot. It sounded like a singing bowl used for meditation. Magical! He also showed us how we could improvise and play music with others. During the workshop, he worked with a multi-generational crowd—ages 2 to 70. But, whatever the age of the musician, he had great feedback and practical advice for honing their skills. Some of the musicians were shy to get started and he made them feel at ease, and soon they were tapping away. After this workshop, I am now looking at all the items I have at home differently—what would produce the most awesome sound?
—Sonia Booth, Teaching Coordinator at Knowledge Commons DC, Washington, D.C.

I recently attended Jason's Music Discovery Lab workshop at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center. I didn't have much hands on experience with percussion instruments coming in, but this wasn't a hindrance to following along with the exercises Jason led us through. Jason is a very easygoing and enthusiastic instructor and makes learning fun. He started out with a basic hand clapping drill, and then demonstrated some basic principles of rhythm, texture, and timbre using a combination of traditional instruments and found objects. Each participant was encouraged to use a basic rhythm as a starting point and expand upon it incorporating extended techniques with the equipment available. My favorite part of the workshop was collaborating with four other players in an 'avant-garde drum line' using a snare drum and finger cymbals to create an interesting assortment of unexpected sounds.
—Amber Dunleavy, Falls Church, VA

Jason's Music Discovery Lab was delightful. My 7 year old son loved it. Jason was encouraging, patient, and inspired creative exploration of all things in the room - including a bucket of water! Who knew water could make music?
—Denise Mortimer, Takoma Park, MD

I had the pleasure of attending workshop at Pyramid Atlantic a few weeks ago. His approach to creativity and experimentation in rhythm was refreshing and it gave me new ideas that I can use on my own drum set. I have also been searching and listening for hidden percussive sounds ever since. It was a fun, hands-on workshop, and I would recommend it to people of all ages, regardless of their musical inclinations.
—Rick Kowalski, Washington, DC

Primary Instrument

Drums

Willing to teach

Intermediate to advanced

Credentials/Background

My name is Jason A Mullinax and I'm a percussionist and songwriter based in Takoma Park, Maryland. I teach beginner to intermediate drum set lessons to students from 6 years old to adult . My goal is to give students a solid foundation in proper drumming technique as well as the freedom to cultivate their own creativity as musicians. I also facilitate an experiential learning workshop called Music Discovery Lab that's open to musicians and non-musicians alike. If you're interested in taking lessons or attending one of my workshops, please drop me a line!